By N.E.N.I.N What happens to the Black mind when survival demands constant proximity to whiteness? Share Across the global Black diaspora, the psychological toll of racism is not limited to overt acts of discrimination. It reaches deep into the inner world, shaping the nervous system, fuelling self‑doubt, and planting shame long before a child has the language to name it. The pressure to measure oneself against white norms persists, even while knowing those norms were never neutral. This long-term erosion is what many describe as the destruction of the Black psyche, not a collapse of intelligence, creativity or joy, but the cumulative mental strain of living within cultures and institutions built through Black dehumanisation. The Black mind has been forced to develop under siege, not always through physical chains, but through psychological ones: colonial education, racial stereotypes, white beauty standards, respectability politic...
The line between clout‑chasing and catastrophe has never felt thinner. When an 18‑year‑old TikToker with a growing fanbase quietly downloaded the same bomb‑making video linked to the Manchester Arena attack, the nation was forced to confront an uncomfortable truth: the platforms we treat as entertainment hubs are also breeding grounds for the darkest corners of the internet. While his followers were double‑tapping dance clips and comedy skits, he was privately requesting extremist content that has destroyed families and scarred a generation. The disconnect is chilling.
What’s even more unsettling is the silence surrounding his online identity. Authorities have deliberately withheld his TikTok handle — a move that has sparked fierce debate. Some argue it’s a necessary step to prevent copycats and stop curious teens from hunting down his digital footprint. Others see it as yet another example of selective transparency, where the public is expected to trust the system without being given the full picture.
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If this were any other type of influencer scandal, the username would be plastered across headlines within minutes. But terrorism‑related cases operate under a different set of rules, and that secrecy leaves a vacuum that fuels speculation.
This case exposes a deeper, more uncomfortable question: how many other young creators are quietly consuming extremist material behind the façade of relatable content and viral trends? Social media has mastered the art of masking reality — a curated feed here, a polished persona there — but it cannot hide the fact that radicalisation is evolving.
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It’s no longer confined to shadowy forums or encrypted channels; it’s creeping into mainstream spaces where teenagers build careers, communities, and identities. The idea that someone with 27,000 followers could be engaging with bomb‑making instructions should shake us all.
Top (left to right): Lisa Lees, Alison Howe, Georgina Callender, Kelly Brewster, John Atkinson, Jane Tweddle, Marcin Klis, Eilidh MacLeod - Middle (left to right): Angelika Klis, Courtney Boyle, Saffie Roussos, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Martyn Hett, Michelle Kiss, Philip Tron, Elaine McIver - Bottom (left to right): Wendy Fawell, Chloe Rutherford, Liam Allen-Curry, Sorrell Leczkowski, Megan Hurley, Nell Jones
And yet, the conversation is already shifting toward blame. Is it the platform’s fault for failing to detect the behaviour? Is it the algorithm’s fault for feeding him content he should never have seen? Or is this simply a stark reminder that the internet reflects the best and worst of us — and sometimes, the worst hides in plain sight? What’s clear is that this case won’t be the last. As long as social media continues to reward visibility over accountability, we’ll keep discovering that the people we elevate online aren’t always who we think they are.
